The GEMS is being developed for BPL-003, Moranic Mission to Montana, scheduled for launch in the autumn of 2009. Its purpose will be to anchor equipment securely and compactly during flight or (more likely) long - term storage, and to deploy the equipment during the mission (should such an event actually take place). GEMS is designed to be ultra light weight, sturdy, and above all cheap, at least for BPL.
Structure:
The GEMS is composed of twisted compression members (struts) made of strips of Phenolic epoxy impregnated linen, which are joined together with aluminum fasteners. Tiers made up of triangularly arranged strips, joined at their centers and vertices are connected to one another also at their vertices. This arrangement allows the mast to change shape not only in length but also in diameter as it extends and contracts. The geometry of the structure imparts twisting forces to the struts, which aid in stiffening the mast as it becomes erect. In fact when fully extended the term 'turgid' has been applied to the system, although we stick with the more conventional 'extended' and 'retracted' nomenclature.
Equipment can be attached to the mast at any point and held securely. The mast has both horizontal and vertical applications. Because its diameter changes as it moves, it can be used to hold and release objects restrained by its core, somewhat like a Chinese Finger-trap.
Presently testing is taking place to determine the efficacy for the system in the Moranic Mission to Montana. It is quite possible that the decorative value of the system far outweighs its possible utility to the mission. But decorative is good too, we suppose. A horizontal deployment mechanism is being developed that will extend the mast from a collapsed stowage position, and then elevate it and lock it in place. Updates to these tests will be posted at browerpropulsionlab.com, and will include GEMS in their headings.
It should be noted that although this device uses highly toxic phenolic resin and world climate destroying aluminum alloys, as well as the unrenewable resource, electricity, the whole thing can be considered "GREEN" since our engineer found all this material in the dumpster behind the factory of a now defunct aerospace competitor. BPL's commitment to DOING LESS WITH MORE is exemplified in this system and we are proud be able to do our part in the effort to dominate the natural world, or at least to take it down with us.
BPL-003 Mission page:bpl003
Click here to see a video of GEMS testing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07SQf6Zswls